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Weekly RoundUp 11-8-2011 - Page 2

post #31 of 47
11/11/11 at 3:01pm
I picked up the Target exclusive today. Really solid looking package; reminds me of many TV on Blu-Ray sets for density with four discs crammed in there.
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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Alleged
Mutiny on the Bounty (1962) [Blu-ray]
The Fisher King [Blu-ray]
post #32 of 47
11/11/11 at 3:48pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Adam Lenhardt View Post

I picked up the Target exclusive today. Really solid looking package; reminds me of many TV on Blu-Ray sets for density with four discs crammed in there.

 

Not me.  I picked up the three disc combo pack at a Wal-Mart for $19.96 and am sure I will be pleased. 

 

I did pick up one of the four-disc packages at Target, though, Adam, and know what you mean about the nice packaging of those sets.

 

I also dealt with one of those stupid things you overhear while shopping for DVDs/Blu-rays.  A guy is standing at the endcap with the HP films and is talking to his daughter on the phone:  "I've got good news and bad news for you, honey. The good news is that they've got plenty of the Harry Potter discs.  The bad news is that they don't have any in full screen...unless you want to get the blu-ray...but then you can't play it in your portable DVD player, right?!?  I know you don't like the widescreen..."

 

There were so many things wrong with what the guy was saying that I considered intervening...but decided better of it and walked away. 
 

 

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post #33 of 47
11/11/11 at 5:15pm
Thanks for sharing Mike. That actually made me laugh in an "it's so bad it's funny" kind of way. I picked up the Target exclusive and grabbed part I for $9.99 while I was at it. I haven't decided for sure if I will keep them. My wife suggested just renting it and waiting for the inevitable Ultimate Edition.
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post #34 of 47
11/11/11 at 7:51pm

Oh Mike.  I thought those conversations were in the past.  Maybe you should have directed the guy to the VHS section...  tongue.gif

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post #35 of 47
11/11/11 at 10:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Frezon View Post

I also dealt with one of those stupid things you overhear while shopping for DVDs/Blu-rays.  A guy is standing at the endcap with the HP films and is talking to his daughter on the phone:  "I've got good news and bad news for you, honey. The good news is that they've got plenty of the Harry Potter discs.  The bad news is that they don't have any in full screen...unless you want to get the blu-ray...but then you can't play it in your portable DVD player, right?!?  I know you don't like the widescreen..."
Was that a Target experience or a Walmart experience? My prejudices of shoppers have me leaning toward a Walmart experience.

I had a bit of a surreal experience picking up the Target exclusive myself.

I get to the rack with the new releases, and of course the slot for the Target version is empty, because Target never seems to shelve more than four or five copies of a title at a given time. I ask the cashier at the electronics section if they have any more copies in the back. He tells me he's pretty certain they're sold out, but he'll check after he gets a video game out of the locked case for a customer. By the time he gets back, another Target employee slips into the cash register island with two big cardboard boxes. Of course, it's Harry Potter. One box had the regular version, one box had the Target exclusive.

She fishes out a copy for me, and I go to grab it. But she has me wait while she puts one of the clear plastic anti-theft cases around it before she hands it over. I walk five feet to the cash register, where the cashier removes the clear plastic case and rings me up.

Undoubtedly, if she'd risked letting me hold the unwrapped package for the minute and a half it took for my turn to come up at the register, she would have gotten reprimanded by a manager.
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post #36 of 47
11/12/11 at 6:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Adam Lenhardt View Post

She fishes out a copy for me, and I go to grab it. But she has me wait while she puts one of the clear plastic anti-theft cases around it before she hands it over. I walk five feet to the cash register, where the cashier removes the clear plastic case and rings me up.
Undoubtedly, if she'd risked letting me hold the unwrapped package for the minute and a half it took for my turn to come up at the register, she would have gotten reprimanded by a manager.

I bought the latest season of Mad Men at Target and the cashier couldn't open the case (which seems to happen about 75% of the time) and I jokingly made a comment about how it seemed pointless and time consuming to lock up Blu-rays when most DVDs that cost as much or more than Blu-rays aren't cased. She told me that the cases were on there to protect kids from objectionable content. I rolled my eyes but didn't bring up any logical points like "Mad Men, at worst, would be considered PG-13 material" or "Bambi was locked up here" or "How is something more objectionable on Blu-ray than DVD?" or "Even if there is objectionable content, how would a kid watch it while in a store". This lady had no say in the chain's policies but don't lie to me and make up some idiocy about the cases protecting kids.
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post #37 of 47
11/12/11 at 8:46am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Adam Lenhardt View Post

Was that a Target experience or a Walmart experience? My prejudices of shoppers have me leaning toward a Walmart experience.

 

Target, actually.

 

It has been my experience that idiots don't discriminate.  They'll shop anywhere.  biggrin.gif

 

Or, in the case of Travis' story, they'll work anywhere, too!  laugh.gif

 

Adam:  I was at the Target in East Greenbush yesterday afternoon and the staff was putting out cardboard cases of Potter product there, too.  Maybe our local stores got their shipments rather late?!? 

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post #38 of 47
11/12/11 at 10:49am
My story isn't as good as any of these but Dad was in the Target area and picked up my copy of their version for me. The top of the slipcover is bent up slightly, which I imagine came about from the cashier removing the anti-theft cover, which is mildly annoying. Not enough to exchange it over, but, sheesh. It's fine to have it there, but good grief, they need to change something if it's starting to interfere with the packaging.
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post #39 of 47
11/12/11 at 11:06am
Thread Starter 

Target has easily become one of the last "go to" stores for those people wanting to buy physical media.

 

They really should figure out a better security system than one which features the clear plastic cases which damages the product and the spider-web security strings which also damage packaging.

 

And as Travis noted:

 

 

Quote:
I bought the latest season of Mad Men at Target and the cashier couldn't open the case (which seems to happen about 75% of the time)

 

They really need to include special training for their front end employees on the skill-set of opening their own security devices.  It is true that they either can't do it...or need to call over another associate to help them, etc. 

 

OTOH, when I purchased my HP & Deathly Hallows Part 2 combo pack at my local Wal-Mart...you'll NEVER GUESS what happened to me when I walked out the Wal-Mart exit.  rolleyes.gif 

 

Yeah.  Let's just say it wasn't the bananas which set off the security bells, alarms, whistles, etc....

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post #40 of 47
11/12/11 at 2:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Frezon View Post

Target has easily become one of the last "go to" stores for those people wanting to buy physical media.

They really should figure out a better security system than one which features the clear plastic cases which damages the product and the spider-web security strings which also damage packaging.


Yes, it was difficult to find a Lion King box set without string damage.
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post #41 of 47
11/12/11 at 2:38pm
I ended up buying the Harry Potter DVD/BD edition at Best Buy (19.99) yesterday.

Today I happened to be at BJ's and noticed they have $5 off the same edition making it 18.99. I don't know how long that discount is in effect for.
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post #42 of 47
11/12/11 at 5:20pm
Wow. All of your Targets have Blu or DVD behind glass? Our Target has all movies right out in the open without any plastic case protection at all. Just the shrink wrapped case, same as Best Buy. Only video games are behind glass at Target.
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post #43 of 47
11/12/11 at 5:36pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuck Anstey View Post

Wow. All of your Targets have Blu or DVD behind glass? Our Target has all movies right out in the open without any plastic case protection at all. Just the shrink wrapped case, same as Best Buy. Only video games are behind glass at Target.


No, Chuck.  They're not behind glass like the video games...but they are individually placed inside those hinged clear plastic cases...which store associates never seem to know how to open. 

 

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post #44 of 47
11/12/11 at 5:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Frezon View Post



No, Chuck.  They're not behind glass like the video games...but they are individually placed inside those hinged clear plastic cases...which store associates never seem to know how to open. 

Worse than that, most of the cases are designed for non slipcased Blurays so when the case is closed it damages or crushes the cases. I don't mind the cases if they would just use the correct size, but
that would mean that someone thinks the covers are important. Those spider/string security of even worse b/c every single one I've seen are tightened to slice into the packaging.

When asked "WHY" they intentionally destroy the packing usually I get blank looks. At least my stores keep the covers and not just routinely remove them and throw them away like
I hear some places do.
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post #45 of 47
11/12/11 at 7:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by David Norman View Post

Those spider/string security of even worse b/c every single one I've seen are tightened to slice into the packaging.

I don't really mind when the cases leave an indentation on a slipcase but I wouldn't even consider buying something from Target that was wrapped in a spider lock. I get that they need (and it is a need) to protect their merchandise but when they flat out damage part of the product that what I will be owning, I'll go somewhere else. It would be better if they did have a locked glass case (a la video games) for the higher priced Blu-rays and DVDs over using a security item that, when used properly, damages the item.

Once again, I get that Target has to protect their property and they probably pay someone six figures to analyze stats that say that Blu-rays are high theft items but I don't see Target locking up other much higher priced items in the same department or the rest of the store where higher priced and higher stolen items remain exposed to the criminal element. Despite my gripes, Target is still my main brick and mortar stop for Blu-rays and DVDs. Their store is clean and the employees are generally good people (unlike Wal Mart which is generally disgusting and staffed by total assholes) but I don't see how a Blu-ray crime wave has broken out at Target but apparently not at Best Buy or Wal Mart.
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post #46 of 47
11/12/11 at 7:54pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by TravisR View Post

I don't even really mean to rag on Target because Target is my main brick and mortar stop for Blu-rays and DVDs.


But that's what's really sticking in my craw with all these posts, Travis. 

 

Target is one of the last few retailers doing a good job selling physical media.  They've GOT to figure out a better way to deal with these security issues or they are going to start losing sales and we might lose yet another retailer for DVDs and Blu-rays. 

 

I agree that I would prefer if they locked some of the titles they now stuff into those ridiculous anti-theft devices into a case like they now use for video games. 

 

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post #47 of 47
11/12/11 at 8:51pm
The closest Target is 25 miles away, but they just moved into a brand new Supertarget. Their employees have always done right by me and gone out of their way to help, but
I hate damaged covers. There a couple stores another 20 miles away that don't use the cases, but unless I'm going for other reasons it's awfully hard to justify the drive.

I do have a decent/clean Walmart about 15 miles away, but the one 3 miles away I just avoid. The nicer one has reasonably nice clerks, but they aren't really all that helpful unless
you prompt them. Their Bluray selection is even more hit or miss than many WM since it's much more rural area.
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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Alleged
Mutiny on the Bounty (1962) [Blu-ray]
The Fisher King [Blu-ray]
Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Bargains and Classifieds › Bargains and Deals › Weekly RoundUp 11-8-2011